[636]: The Mistake I Made by Paula Daly

The Mistake I Made

by Paula Daly

Remember that time when you fantasized about being in Julia Roberts’ shoes in Pretty Woman? How about Demi Moore in Indecent Proposal? Now imagine yourself in that scenario then wake up to realize that Richard Gere or Robert Redford is actually Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction. Fun, huh? That’s exactly the situation Roz found herself in.

Roz was a struggling single parent swimming in debt left behind by her ex-husband. She was desperate for money. So when Scott made a “business arrangement” that would alleviate some of her problems, she agreed with just a tiny bit of hesitation. Little did she know that Scott was not the detached, bored millionaire he’d make himself out to be. She figured she’d only have to sleep with him once and then she’ll manage. But complications arose when one of her co-workers found out about the arrangement. Soon she’s not only dealing with the guilt of sleeping with the man whose brother-in-law was someone she could potentially have a relationship with, she’s also had to deal with a blackmailing colleague who’s not in it for the money.

Then he disappeared. Feared dead by the police. Roz’ bid to solve her financial woes instantly became a nightmare of epic proportions.

my thoughts

Full disclosure, this is a re-read. It took me this long to write a review because I didn’t quite know how to write one on my first go – not that I have a better sense of how-to this time around. I think I was just inspired last weekend.

The Mistake I Made is a suspense of the mildest kind – which makes it even more enjoyable because you don’t have to contend with sweaty palms and racing heartbeats whilst reading. Sometimes, I like my mysteries that way. Though, that doesn’t mean I wasn’t vested in the story. I love that the antagonist was very calm – which, I suppose is a true mark of a sociopath. But every single thing that he did was calculated. Even right up to the point when he destroyed his own family.

Roz was a woman who was doing what she can to give her son a good life. Even with the financial difficulties that her ex-husband left on her hands, she did her best for him. It was easy to sympathize with her and understand that you would probably have done the same thing if you were in her shoes. But at the same time, sleeping with Scott and getting paid for it was taking the easy way out. So when it comes to handing out guilt, she’s definitely not home-free.

This is a great introduction to Ms. Daly’s work . I do believe this is only her third book, and I would most likely read more of hers in the future. Strong characterizations, solid plot points. It would have you thinking about the moral dilemma of Roz’s situation. All in all, I’m glad I decided to give this another go. It gave me another chance to examine what drove Roz to the decisions she made throughout the book.